Four gold medals for Irish boxers

IRISH Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) Elite Director Gary Keegan was full of praise for the Irish squad after they landed four gold medals at yesterday’s Vajdin Senior Multi Nations in Albania.

Conor Ahern (51Kg) Eric Donovan (57Kg) Darren Sutherland (75Kg) and Ken Egan (81Kg) went all the way in an incredible night for Irish amateur boxing.

Ahern brushed aside concerns about a hand injury to beat Kosova’s Muhmud Gordo 5-0 while Donovan dispatched Loanis Monokandilo from Greece on an identical scoreline.

Middleweight Sutherland stopped Albania’s Oltion Kraja in round three of his final while EU Gold medallist Egan cruised through his contest against Macedonian Nas Hani winning 5-0.

Roy Sheehan (69Kg) also did well in Albania this week beating Israel’s Denis Hasani before losing out on bronze to Albanian Jetmir Kuci.

Egan and Sutherland are guaranteed their places on the Beijing team but there are places up for grabs for China.

The five man Irish squad are in Albania under coaches Billy Walsh and Zuari Anita, Physio Scott Murphy and Ferdie Whelan (R&J).